DRIVEN: 2018 Subaru XV – all the SUV you need?

Since its birth, the Subaru XV has always been a non-conformist. True to its maker’s ethos, the first iteration of the upstart crossover offered owners ruggedness, dependability and drivability, some of the standout characteristics that have long defined the brand’s off-roading models.

A maverick in the high-stakes volume game, the XV struck middle ground with more finesse than its arch-rival Mitsubishi ASX could ever hope to match, and it did so by combining superior ride and handling qualities with a rather appealing sticker price as well.

The second-generation model, launched here in November last year, aims to assume the mantle of success, this time shifting focus from the CR-V to the HR-V and Mazda CX-3. With an asking price of RM119k for the 2.0i and RM126k for the 2.0i-P, Subaru has once again nailed the value proposition, only this time the XV is almost entirely new despite sporting a familiar outlook.

On the outside, the new XV takes on an evolutionary styling. Simple, but to great effect. It’s unmistakably a Subaru – the C-shaped LED daytime running lights give it away, donning a more chiselled and tough front fascia that’s complemented by a more stylistically proportionate rear section. If anything, the XV looks exactly like a shrunken down version of the Outback, if not a mere Impreza hatch on stilts.

While many may find the new design to be safe and boring, I find it to be a refreshing sight from the usual suspects. However, what really matters with the new XV goes beyond skin deep. Underneath all that surface metal is an all-new platform – unimaginatively called Subaru Global Platform (SGP) – that promises improvements in all areas to do with ride, driving dynamics and safety. So yes, it’s quite a big deal.

Thanks to a new framework layout, torsional rigidity is up by 70%, the bulk of which comes from reinforcing joints, as well as the inclusion of new cross sections. Although stiffer, Subaru says the SGP is more efficient in managing inertia in the event of a collision. Other benefits include reduced NVH and increased suspension rigidity. More on this later.

Now, despite having a brand new platform to build the XV, its footprint remains largely unchanged. It’s 20 mm wider (1,800 mm) and 15 mm longer (4,465 mm) overall, but height stays at 1,615 mm, as is its 220 mm ground clearance. Thanks to SGP, the new XV’s centre of gravity is reduced by five mm.

That makes it bigger than a B-segment SUV, but still smaller than a C-segment crossover like the CX-5. Wheelbase, however, has been stretched by 30 mm to 2,665 mm, resulting in shorter overhangs for a suitably shapely look. It boasts an approach angle of 18 degrees and departure angle of 29 degrees.

The XV is a perfect exemplification of inner beauty, because for the first time, it feels like Subaru has actually put painstaking thought and effort to construct the cabin. There’s a newfound sense of vibrancy and quality stemming from the interplay of colours and trim materials. Owners of the older model will notice the resemblance in dashboard layout (which I wholeheartedly agree), but the new car wears an undeniably impressive build throughout – in terms of perceived quality, it’s better than that on the CX-3.

For example, the contoured steering wheel – with buttons and switches so very ergonomically positioned – doesn’t just fit snugly in the hands, it’s nice to look at as well, and the whole thing is wrapped in leather (the cheaper 2.0i gets a PU steering) and sewn together with bright orange contrast stitching. This striking theme permeates throughout the cabin and is standard on both 2.0i and 2.0i-P. Nice.

The centre dash is home to two separate displays. The top unit is a class-exclusive 6.3-inch Multi-Function Display, operable through a set of three buttons at the seven o’clock position on the steering wheel. It provides detailed data such as trip meter and pitch angle, including external temperature reading, climate control, day, date and time functions. It’s brilliant.

What’s not so brilliant is the eight-inch Panasonic touchscreen infotainment display unit. It’s dreadful to use and feels cheap, and the bad-looking user interface doesn’t help one bit. All it has going for is the fact that it’s usable. By the way, other markets get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, not us. In what is otherwise a perfect cabin, the head unit is the one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Leather seats are not an option this time around – instead, there’s two-toned fabric upholstery with faux leather trimmings that adorn the thigh bolsters of the front seats. Only the driver’s seat is electrically adjustable (with lumbar inflators). Thanks to the longer wheelbase, rear passengers now benefit from increased legroom, and anyone under 180 cm should feel decently comfortable in the back seat. However, there are still no air-con vents for rear occupants.

Like the older model, the new XV scores poorly in the practicality department. Boot space is puny at 345 litres – that’s significantly smaller than the HR-V’s 437 litre space, and the boot floor is raised high in order to fit the full-sized spare tyre underneath. The rear bench folds in a 60:40 split configuration should you need more space, but it won’t fold completely flat. Here, the HR-V, with its Ultra Seats, remains the undisputed leader.

At the heart of the XV is a 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated flat-four engine that makes 156 PS and 196 Nm of torque, which represents a six PS gain over the older port-injection unit. Subaru says the new aluminium engine is almost completely reworked (80% of it is new) and features direct-injection, allowing both power and torque to arrive sooner at 6,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm (both down by 200 rpm) respectively. It’s also a leaner burning unit – compression ratio is up from 10.5:1 to 12.5:1.

Performance-wise, the engine feels largely the same as before. It’s smooth and decent in power delivery, but its potential is marred by the Lineartronic continuously variable transmission, despite having seven “virtual gears” to play with. The HR-V’s smaller 1.8 litre engine zings with a tad more vigour, and I suspect the XV’s lack of pep can be attributed to the fact that it has to drive all four wheels.

Both the engine and transmission contribute to a 20 kg weight reduction, the latter now featuring a wider ratio to improve fuel efficiency and performance. The seven-step ratio that’s supposed to mimic a conventional automatic gearbox is barely a joy to use. No matter the effort, there’s just no running away from the fact that it’s still a CVT at the end of the day, but unless you’re especially particular about transmissions, this one will suit most buyers just fine.

What makes the XV even more unique is its driveline setup. The engine sits low and is centrally mounted, enabling the adjoining transmission and propeller shaft (that channels drive to the rear wheels) to be positioned along the very centre of the vehicle. Few cars in the world are as symmetrical as this, and it makes the XV an incredibly adept and balanced car to drive.

Our experience with the older model in Bali was proof that the XV handles very much like a sedan rather than an SUV, and the new one pretty much exhibits the same trait. This was evident during an all-out loop around the Melaka International Motorsport Circuit (MIMC) – driven with considerable civility, the XV remains poised and its balance unperturbed. The steering, which is slightly smaller in diameter, feels suitably better weighted as well.

The reason why the XV feels so agile and light on its feet (and this is despite weighing 1,558 kg – that’s close to the CR-V 4WD’s 1,595 kg mark!) is because there’s a yaw-control system (Active Torque Vectoring or ATV) at play, which uses brake pressure to help turn the vehicle – ATV helps combat understeer and is not active during braking. Suffice to say, traction is aplenty with the carmaker’s well-honed symmetrical all-wheel drive system in place.

Another trick it has up its sleeves is the X-Mode function it shares with the updated Forester. When activated, it essentially alters throttle response and braking behaviour – between 0 to 40 km/h – to provide maximum traction when going off-road. Also on is Hill Descent Control (maintains speed when travelling downhill with X-Mode activated), but this can only be used at speeds under 20 km/h.

The level of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) is perceptibly lower than before. According to Subaru, engine noise is reduced by one decibel thanks to stiffer engine mounts, and there’s more usage of rubber seals around all four doors to better isolate external noise. Wind noise is also less intrusive at higher speeds, but tyre roar (the XV comes with Continental ContiMax MC5 as standard) remains awfully annoying.

Perhaps the most surprising finding of all is the car’s ride quality. It is hands down the most comfortable car I’ve driven in its class, absorbing bumps and undulations with far more flair and grace than most of its B-segment SUV rivals. It employs a multi-link setup for the front and an independent double wishbone fixture for the rear – the latter is a decidedly more sophisticated system than the regular torsion beam setup.

For RM126k, you get a heck lot of car for the money, and then some. There’s full LED forward illumination (with active bending tech), steering-mounted paddle shifters, electric parking brake, cruise control and dual-zone climate control for convenience. The safety kit is also impressive, with seven airbags (standard on both variants!) and Vehicle Dynamics Control (with Enhanced Differential Control in X-Mode) to go with the usual raft of active safety features.

Overall, the Subaru XV is improved in nearly all aspects compared to the outgoing model, in some areas more (like ride and handling and interior build) than others. It’s technically versatile as well, offering individuals with a more adventurous spirit a value-for-money alternative as compared to its garden-variety competitors.

Objectively, it’s possibly the most well-rounded SUV for the money in its class, and if you can get past the badge stigma, this one will serve to impress. As the case with the older model, the new XV matures into newer pastures and continues to be the best mainstream offering Subaru has to offer in this part of the world.

Do I see myself owning one? Probably, if it wasn’t for the CVT, but it’s clear as day that the XV deserves to rank high in anyone’s shopping list if they happen to be looking at an SUV in this price segment.

An ardent believer that fun cars need not be fast and fast cars may not always be fun. Matt advocates the purity and simplicity of manually swapping cogs while coping in silence of its impending doom. Matt's not hot. Never hot.

I have to flash headlight to one of this subaru just now on north south hw. Maybe the owner thot he was driving a impreza sti since the emblem on the dash is the same with the impreza also the bodykit has that STI badges all over the place. Truth is you need a powerful engine to accelerate not 0 to 100 cos no one actually does that in the real world but from 80 to 160kmh. This is the speed range you will need to accelerate 99% of the time like on highway after some hoggers clear up the way then you will step on the pedal to whoosh from 80 to 160 or 180 kmh. This is where no manufacturer ever produce a figure and this is where sub 2.5 liter petrol na car weakest point. Back to my story…so flash my beam i did and this.xv thot with the sti.badge he doesnt have to move to the left lane but trying to join the battle of acceleration of 80 to 180…he lost the battle when he pressed the pedal all the way down to the floor and the car behind him still overtake him from left. So folks msian highway become unnecessarily jam because of this misconception..hey i drive a hrv turbo..i shud go.fast….wrong! U need a good diesel turbo like the sportage crdi or the tucson to do this… if.every japs suv on the road in msia.been replace with korean turbo diesel…the highway will be a better place to be…all fast fuel efficient cars.

No point denying or trying to tone down the fact that the CVT is a major let down in most Subaru cars nowadays because of how important a transmission performance is in a car, and also because other aspects of the cars are already very good for the price.

As a driver, you want to be in charge of the vehicle and get the satisfaction of being so. In this Subaru car, Steering? – excellent! Braking? – excellent! Accelerating? – mehhh, because of the CVT not letting the car do what your right foot is telling it to do. Such a disappointment.

Just a question. Have you driven all the competitors CVT before and compare it to Subaru’s? Xv is not made for performance type but for the mass and the CVT is there to help reduce fuel consumption and emission. Without the CVT Subaru will loss even more customer as later people will complain fuel drinker, a lot of reviewers from around the net are giving in mix opinions and if you look at the trend CVT will continue to stay and grow due to cost and environment reasons. Yes, there are some drawbacks but if you want more fun the Xv does have paddle shifters to help mimic the gear change even further.

The problem with a CVT is that it is not fun to drive. It lacks the direct feel of a manual or a traditional automatic. This is the way how CVTs operate. There is no getting around this, Irregardless of how many steps you have on your paddles.

Even the best of the bunch, nissan’s xtronic (on the Altima 3.5) still feels rubbery. Same with the Honda Civic turbo and Forester XT turbo.

It is more bearable on the afore mentioned cars because the big motor/turbo engine has a lot more low end torque. And yes, i have driven those cars quite a lot and the CVTs of many other cars, starting with the 97 civic HX.

1.5tonnes AWD platform with a 2.0 NA and a CVT isnt necessary a good combination for spirited driving.

CVT works best on a light weight vehicle, where you dont need to rev the beans out of it to get going. Pile on the weight and the cvt gets rubbery.

But that said, CVTs have improved leaps and bounds from 20 years ago, but I would say it still isnt a very sporting drive.

This is a seriously nice car, with over-engineered drivetrain and chassis that fits more expensive cars. You won’t find a car at this price point that offers a longitudinal flat 4 engine layout. The only other car that is not Subaru with such a layout is made by Porsche. Having said that, the XV is let down a bit by that CVT. Its efficient, yes, but exciting it is not. The turbo Forester XT is a bit better, because it has so much torque down low, that the CVT doesn’t need to do much, so you won’t hear it whine to its redline often.

Motor Image has a strange selling strategy. When I went to check out the car prior to the launch in December, I was told that delivery will only happen in March 2018. I was looking forward to changing to this new XV and that was certainly a damper. Besides that, the branch was unable to offer a trade-in value for my 2016 XV. To cut a long story short, with the absence of full leather and the all-important Eyesight feature, I had an easy decision to stick to my 2016 Xv.

Subaru’s resale value is very very very bad. I lost 50% in just 1 yr plus…check how much is the Subaru used car prices and you will know what I mean. The main reason is Motor Image can easily give 25K to 30K discount on XV just to boost sales. They will never care about resale value of the previous owners’ car.

The crown of every cars/suv is the engine. That is why the higher the range of Vehicle the bigger the CC the more powerful it is. We never heard of M5 with power of a 520i with full spec accessories. When talk about power, how much power is enough? power is never enough, but the sweet spot is between 200ps to 300ps, that is the sweet spot that make driving a breeze, easy to overtake, easy to drive up to speed and easy to reach the 200kmh mark if you ever need so. Anything lesser, will get you tired of revving the engine or anything more, will shake guts out not to mention everyone in the car too. Car reviewer always talk about steering feedback, driving dynamic as if normal people really need those input anymore than they need the power from the engine, yes driving dynamic and steering input is essential when we are talking about high performance car, but not for daily driver run of the mill balik kampung car. Normal people (that is 80% of malaysian) need a good enough engine (200-300ps) that is frugal and comfortable to drive to work and balik kampung, that is more important than steering input or driving dynamic. I mean it is better if we can have both. That is where cars like rs6 or m5 come in. but with limited budget, like sub rm200k cars, the comfort, power and frugality is the main points. So back to this subaru, with 150hp 200nm, is this really a good buy? it doestn have the enough power to make driving a breeze nor does it have a good fuel consumption since we have to step on the pedal ever so often to get it going….the answer is the Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDI 185hp/400nm (that is more power than a 320D produces) That car has all three points mentioned. Power, frugality of diesel and comfort (very good NVH).

Droved both the XV and Forrester , honestly not very impressed for its price value. Exterior styling looks good, inside feels like normal Japanese make style. But engine not really have kick like previous Forrester. Like how the article says, it felt like driving a sedan with more nimble movement than any other SUVs but aside from that nothing much to shout about it if you have driven continental cars and SUVs. The paddle shifter looks great and feels awesome but does not really excite. There is no pull or surge of power felt when you shift or press on accelerator. Good for a family car. Great in safety. Really decent drive but that’s about it.

Well, it all depends on what you are comparing against. The XV is mainly targeting the HRV and CX3, to me I will take the XV anytime. Forester is more for CRV, Xtrail and CX5, it is cheaper than all the other 3 but offering much better features and drive with excellent NVH and handling. Please don’t compare with SUVs that cost 2 or 3 times more.

Dude the XV is priced at nearly RM130k, for another 10K you can get the 3008 for the base model. If you have the time please test drive it and try the 1.6 turbo engine, its way away better from the XVs 2.0. The pickup is way instantaneous and the km/h needle pushes it self relentlessly to well over the 200 km/h mark effortlessly. I know cause I tried it all the way from KL – Melaka. It has a smaller cc but it hits its full 165 hp at an earlier RPM and at a higher torque. Makes over taking so so easy. It has all the goodies of the XV and more. Don’t worry about leather seats and some carbon fiber trim aesthetics ,go for the engine and performance first just like and XV. Need not purchase a continental car 2 or 3 times more than the price of an XV. The interior is just top notch like any premium European brand. Its 6 speed gear shift is addictive. You want to rev it like a Formula 1 driver but it still will ferry you and your family safely like any regular SUV.

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